BBL 2025 Draft: Babar Azam Bags Big Deal With Sydney Sixers, Yet Falls Too Short Of Rishabh Pant’s IPL Earnings

In a landmark move that signals a new chapter in his T20 career, Babar Azam, one of the most prolific batters in the world, has officially signed with the Sydney Sixers for the upcoming Big Bash League (BBL) 2025–26 season. The deal, which is being hailed as one of the most lucrative contracts in BBL history, will mark Babar’s maiden appearance in Australia’s premier T20 competition, expanding his already glittering resume.

While the magnitude of Babar’s signing represents a significant moment for both the Sixers and Pakistani cricket, it also highlights the financial chasm that still exists between the BBL and the Indian Premier League (IPL). For all the buzz Babar’s signing has generated, the earnings pale in comparison to the record-breaking ₹27 crore deal secured by India’s Rishabh Pant earlier this year in IPL 2025.

This is not just a story of two paychecks—it’s a tale of two leagues, two cricketing markets, and two rising stars from the subcontinent.

Babar Azam’s Big Bash Breakthrough: A Move Years in the Making

For years, Babar Azam’s absence from the BBL puzzled fans and pundits alike. A batter of his pedigree—over 10,000 international runs, multiple ICC awards, and ranked among the top T20I batters consistently—seemed a natural fit for Australia’s franchise competition. Yet, year after year, he remained conspicuously absent.

That wait is now over.

The Sydney Sixers, one of the most successful franchises in BBL history, unveiled Babar Azam as their pre-draft international signing—a marquee announcement ahead of BBL Season 15. He becomes the centrepiece of their overseas core, joining a squad that already features Steve Smith, Moises Henriques, and rising Australian talents.

The move is not just strategic but also symbolic. With the Sixers gunning for a title resurgence after falling short in recent editions, Babar’s arrival could be the X-factor they’ve been missing.

“We’ve admired Babar for years—not just for his elegance but his consistency across all formats,” said Sixers coach Greg Shipperd. “We believe he can be the perfect anchor in Australian conditions.”

The Contract: Breaking New Ground for Pakistan in the BBL

Babar’s contract is reported to be valued at nearly PKR 10 crore (approx. AUD 420,000), placing him firmly in the Platinum salary bracket—the highest classification for overseas players under the BBL’s 2025 international salary structure.

BBL 2025 Overseas Salary Tiers:

Tier	Salary (AUD)	Salary (INR approx.)
Platinum	360k–420k	₹2–2.36 crore
Gold	300k	₹1.68 crore
Silver	200k	₹1.12 crore
Bronze	100k	₹56 lakh

While exact figures are not officially disclosed by Cricket Australia, insiders suggest Babar is at the very top of the Platinum tier, setting a new financial benchmark for Pakistani players in the BBL.

Previously, players like Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, and Mohammad Rizwan had featured in the BBL, but none had commanded a deal of this magnitude.

“This is not just about the money. It’s a recognition of Babar’s stature, and a historic moment for Pakistani representation in Australian franchise cricket,” a PCB official noted.

Why Babar in BBL Is Bigger Than Just Numbers

Beyond the financials, Babar’s inclusion brings cultural and commercial significance:

Fanbase Expansion: The Sixers gain instant access to a massive South Asian fan base in Australia.
Brand Alignment: Babar’s clean image and marketability align well with the Sixers’ family-friendly brand.
Pakistan-Australia Relations: In a time where bilateral cricket has faced scheduling issues, such moves help rebuild soft cricket diplomacy between the two nations.

Moreover, Babar’s game—rooted in timing, placement, and adaptability—is well-suited to BBL surfaces, especially at the SCG, where bounce and timing play a pivotal role.

Meanwhile in India: Rishabh Pant’s ₹27 Crore IPL Contract Rewrites T20 Economics

While Babar’s BBL deal makes headlines globally, it still falls drastically short of the financial juggernaut that is the IPL. Case in point—Rishabh Pant.

In what is now the highest salary in IPL history, the flamboyant wicketkeeper-batter was snapped up by the Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL 2025 mega auction for a staggering ₹27 crore. This obliterated the previous record held by Sam Curran (₹18.5 crore in 2023) and made Pant not only the highest-paid player of the season but the most expensive cricketer in franchise cricket history.

Pant’s Deal Breakdown (Estimated):

Gross Salary: ₹27 crore
Post-tax In-hand: ₹15.52 crore (after TDS, agent fees, etc.)
Match Fee (14 league games): Approx. ₹1.11 crore/game
Brand Endorsement Upsurge: +60% since auction

Pant’s astronomical payday has set a new benchmark for cricket economics. His price tag reflects more than just on-field prowess—it’s about market value, entertainment factor, and commercial viability.

“Rishabh is box-office. You’re not just paying for runs—you’re paying for what he brings to your brand, your merch sales, your broadcast viewership,” said a team analyst from LSG.

The IPL vs BBL Money Gap: An Unbridgeable Divide?

Babar’s top-tier BBL salary (approx. ₹2.36 crore) is nearly one-eighth of Pant’s net IPL earnings. That stark contrast lays bare the unequal financial ecosystems in global T20 leagues.

Comparing the Earnings: Pant vs Babar

Metric	Rishabh Pant (IPL)	Babar Azam (BBL)
League	IPL 2025	BBL 2025–26
Team	Lucknow Super Giants	Sydney Sixers
Contract Value	₹27 crore	₹2.36 crore (AUD 420k)
In-hand (post-tax approx.)	₹15.52 crore	₹1.6 crore (est. post-tax)
Match Fee (per game)	₹1.11 crore	₹18–20 lakh

This isn’t to say Babar’s value is any less. Rather, it reflects the economic supremacy of the IPL, which generates nearly 70% of global cricket revenue, enjoys massive central broadcasting deals, and attracts worldwide sponsors.

The IPL’s ecosystem is simply unmatched—be it media rights, ticket sales, franchise valuations, or player endorsements.

What Babar’s Move Means for Pakistani Cricket and Global Leagues

For Pakistan, Babar’s BBL deal could pave the way for more of their stars to enter high-profile leagues regularly. With political tensions often restricting cross-border movement, cricketing excellence becomes the only passport to international franchise gigs.

Players like Shaheen Afridi, Naseem Shah, Rizwan, and even young guns like Saim Ayub now have a precedent to point to when negotiating contracts.

Additionally, it positions the BBL as a more inclusive and competitive league in the global T20 arms race against the IPL, SA20, and ILT20.

“If we want to stay relevant, we need players like Babar. He brings class, viewership, and that x-factor,” said a BBL executive on condition of anonymity.

Final Word: A Tale of Two Titans

Babar Azam and Rishabh Pant are both icons in their own right—batters who can command stadiums, shift TV ratings, and lead their nations. Yet, their recent franchise deals underline the uneven terrain of cricket’s global economy.

Where Pant’s IPL deal shatters ceilings, Babar’s BBL signing pushes boundaries in a different way—breaking into new territory, setting records for his country, and opening doors for others.

As fans gear up for another thrilling BBL and IPL season, one thing is certain: the game may be the same, but the business around it is a world of its own.

Babar Azam in BBL 15 – What to Expect:

Likely to bat in the top 3
SCG debut expected early December
Projected impact: Anchor role, stabilizing force, T20 IQ boost
Commercial impact: Surge in Sixers’ South Asian fanbase

Rishabh Pant in IPL 2025 – Recap:

Captained Lucknow Super Giants
Scored 521 runs in 13 games
Led team to playoffs
Signed endorsement deals with 7 new brands post-auction

Babar’s deal proves he belongs among the elite of franchise cricket.
Pant’s earnings show he already rules it.
Both are rewriting the narrative—one contract at a time.

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